Avalanche Forecast

Overnight lows are forecast to reach around -6C then tomorrow will be the first big warm weather pulse of the spring! Freezing level is expected to climb to 2200m with day time highs around +2C. Combine this with some clear skies and we are in for a warm day on Thursday. This rapid change will likely have an impact on the snowpack and possibly trigger a natural avalanche cycle .  

There were a few new avalanches noted in the Aster lake area today with a sz 2.5 down 80cm, 200m wide that ran over 200m down the NE face of Northover Peak. We suspect that this was the Jan 29th interface. There was also an older slide (+24hrs) on a SE aspect of Mt Lyautey that started as an initial windslabs then stepped down to the basal facets running onto Aster lake (suspect sz 2).  

Skiers in the Engadine Burn area also reported a Skier accidental on a SW aspect in 30+ deg terrain at treeline that they estimated to be a sz 1 failing down 40-50m. 

Overall, seem over the past few days there has been a slow steady increase in avalanche activity related to the arrival of the warmer weather and the previous strong winds.  

Recent snow from earlier in the week is settling. This snow is overlying a windslab down 10-20cm that was seeing some isolated cracking today in the Aster lake area. Deeper in the snowpack there are two layers that we are following closely. The Feb 19th Facets down 40-60cm and the Jan 29th interface down 60-100cm. Windslabs (buried and near the surface) in the upper snowpack are likely to step down to one of these layers that are within the top meter. These layers are subtle at treeline but very pronounced in the Alpine. Dig down and assess these layers. Forecasters today avoided big slopes in the alpine due to windslabs over these interfaces. Moist snow was also found up to 2000m by midday.  

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
• Pay attention to isolated alpine features as well as cross-loaded features at treeline.
• Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
• Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet